Sir Unwin Raymond epub The Art of Building a Home: A collection of lectures and illustrations

A lecture delivered before an audience of architects in 1895. IN the class of house with which we are to deal to-night, there are so many directions in which improvement is needed, that it will only be possible for me, in the space of one lecture, to refer to a few of them, and to those specially which will illustrate most suggestively the main principles for which I contend: suggestively, in the hope that some present will do me the honour of giving further thought to what I shall touch upon, than is possible to them during the length of time assigned to me this evening.The influences which our common every-day surroundings have upon our characters, our conceptions, our habits of thought and conduct, are often very much underrated; we do not realise the power they have of either aiding or hindering the development in us of the best or worst of which we are capable.Of the capacity the mere contour of a moulding has to bear the impression of refinement or vulgarity, we, as architects, are fully aware; but, I think, may not quite as fully realise the harmful influence of imperfect and unspontaneous drawing, or ill-conception in pattern design, or ill-assorted combinations of colour.